HOUSTON — Through 20 games, the Houston Astros have managed just six wins and are in last place in the AL West.

Their pitching staff trails only Colorado with a 5.24 ERA, and big-money new closer Josh Hader has given up the same number of earned runs in 10 games as he did in 61 last year.

Despite this, these veteran Astros, who have reached the AL Championship Series seven consecutive times, have no doubt they’ll turn things around.

“If there’s a team that can do it, it’s this team,” shortstop Jeremy Peña said.

First-year manager Joe Espada, who was hired in January to replace the retired Dusty Baker, discussed his team’s early struggles.

“It’s not ideal,” he said. “It’s not what we expected, to come out of the chute playing this type of baseball. But you know what, this is where we’re at and we’ve got to pick it up and play better. That’s just the bottom line.”

Many of Houston’s problems have stemmed from a rotation that has been decimated by injuries. Justin Verlander and José Urquidy haven’t pitched yet because of injuries, and lefty Framber Valdez made just two starts before landing on the injured list because of a sore elbow.

Ronel Blanco, who threw a no-hitter in his season debut April 1, is 2-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three starts. Cristian Javier is also off to a good start, going 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA in four starts, but the team has won just two games not started by those two pitchers.

However, Espada wouldn’t blame the rotation for Houston’s current position.

“It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster how we’ve played overall,” he said. “One day we get good starting pitching, some days we don’t. The middle relief has been better and sometimes it hasn’t been. So, we’ve just got to put it all together and then play more as a team. And once we start doing that, we’ll be in good shape.”

The good news for the Astros is that Verlander will make his season debut Friday night when they open a series at Washington, and Valdez should return soon after him.

“Framber and Justin have been a great part of our success in the last few years,” second baseman Jose Altuve said. “So, it’s always good to have those two guys back helping the team. We trust them and I think it’s going to be good.”

PIRATES: Left-hander Aroldis Chapman was suspended two games and fined an undisclosed amount = for his “inappropriate actions” against the New York Mets three days earlier.

Michael Hill, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for on-field operations, made the announcement and said Chapman’s suspension begins Friday when the Pirates are scheduled to host Boston. Chapman could appeal, which would delay the punishment until that process is complete.

Chapman was ejected by plate umpire Edwin Moscoso after Harrison Bader doubled in the eighth inning of the Pirates’ 6-3 loss to the Mets.

“He evidently said something that the umpire did not like,” Pirates Manager Derek Shelton said.

THURSDAY’S GAMES

RAYS 2, ANGELS 1: Ryan Pepiot allowed one run and three hits in six strong innings, Amed Rosario hit an RBI triple in Tampa Bay’s two-run first, and the Rays won at home to split the four-game series.

Pepiot (2-2) struck out seven and walked three after having some stomach issues before the game.

RANGERS 9, TIGERS 7: Leody Taveras scored the winning run on a fielder’s choice in the eighth inning and added an RBI single in the ninth to lead Texas to a victory at Detroit.

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